History · Chapter 4 of 29

1 Chronicles 4

The record fills out the wider families of Judah and then Simeon, listing clans, towns, and craftsmen. Set among these names is the brief, striking account of Jabez, a man born in sorrow who cried out to the God of Israel for blessing and protection, and whose prayer God granted. Simeon's genealogy follows with its settlements and expansions for pasture.

What happens in 1 Chronicles 4

The chapter lists further descendants of Judah through Pharez, Hur, and others, naming families, town founders, and guilds such as the potters and workers in fine linen. In the midst of these names comes Jabez, called more honorable than his brothers, whose mother named him for the pain of his birth. Jabez calls on the God of Israel, asking to be blessed, to have his territory enlarged, to have God's hand with him, and to be kept from evil so that it would not grieve him, and God grants his request.

The genealogy resumes with more of Judah's clans, then turns to Simeon: their sons, their cities around Beersheba, their smaller numbers, and their migrations to find pasture in the days of Hezekiah, including campaigns against the people of Gedor and the remnant of the Amalekites in Seir.

1 Chronicles 4 in context

The Chronicler continues mapping the tribes for a restored community that needed to know its heritage and land claims. Simeon's territory lay within Judah's, which is why the two are told together. The Jabez account is unusual, a rare narrative moment set inside long lists, preserved because his story of prayer and answered blessing spoke of the kind of dependence on God the returning exiles were called to.

Main themes of 1 Chronicles 4

1 Chronicles 4 (KJV)

1The sons of Judah; Pharez, Hezron, and Carmi, and Hur, and Shobal. 2And Reaiah the son of Shobal begat Jahath; and Jahath begat Ahumai, and Lahad. These are the families of the Zorathites. 3And these were of the father of Etam; Jezreel, and Ishma, and Idbash: and the name of their sister was Hazelelponi: 4And Penuel the father of Gedor, and Ezer the father of Hushah. These are the sons of Hur, the firstborn of Ephratah, the father of Bethlehem. 5And Ashur the father of Tekoa had two wives, Helah and Naarah. 6And Naarah bare him Ahuzam, and Hepher, and Temeni, and Haahashtari. These were the sons of Naarah. 7And the sons of Helah were, Zereth, and Jezoar, and Ethnan. 8And Coz begat Anub, and Zobebah, and the families of Aharhel the son of Harum. 9And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow. 10And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested. 11And Chelub the brother of Shuah begat Mehir, which was the father of Eshton. 12And Eshton begat Bethrapha, and Paseah, and Tehinnah the father of Irnahash. These are the men of Rechah. 13And the sons of Kenaz; Othniel, and Seraiah: and the sons of Othniel; Hathath. 14And Meonothai begat Ophrah: and Seraiah begat Joab, the father of the valley of Charashim; for they were craftsmen. 15And the sons of Caleb the son of Jephunneh; Iru, Elah, and Naam: and the sons of Elah, even Kenaz. 16And the sons of Jehaleleel; Ziph, and Ziphah, Tiria, and Asareel. 17And the sons of Ezra were, Jether, and Mered, and Epher, and Jalon: and she bare Miriam, and Shammai, and Ishbah the father of Eshtemoa. 18And his wife Jehudijah bare Jered the father of Gedor, and Heber the father of Socho, and Jekuthiel the father of Zanoah. And these are the sons of Bithiah the daughter of Pharaoh, which Mered took. 19And the sons of his wife Hodiah the sister of Naham, the father of Keilah the Garmite, and Eshtemoa the Maachathite. 20And the sons of Shimon were, Amnon, and Rinnah, Benhanan, and Tilon. And the sons of Ishi were, Zoheth, and Benzoheth. 21The sons of Shelah the son of Judah were, Er the father of Lecah, and Laadah the father of Mareshah, and the families of the house of them that wrought fine linen, of the house of Ashbea, 22And Jokim, and the men of Chozeba, and Joash, and Saraph, who had the dominion in Moab, and Jashubilehem. And these are ancient things. 23These were the potters, and those that dwelt among plants and hedges: there they dwelt with the king for his work. 24The sons of Simeon were, Nemuel, and Jamin, Jarib, Zerah, and Shaul: 25Shallum his son, Mibsam his son, Mishma his son. 26And the sons of Mishma; Hamuel his son, Zacchur his son, Shimei his son. 27And Shimei had sixteen sons and six daughters; but his brethren had not many children, neither did all their family multiply, like to the children of Judah. 28And they dwelt at Beersheba, and Moladah, and Hazarshual, 29And at Bilhah, and at Ezem, and at Tolad, 30And at Bethuel, and at Hormah, and at Ziklag, 31And at Bethmarcaboth, and Hazarsusim, and at Bethbirei, and at Shaaraim. These were their cities unto the reign of David. 32And their villages were, Etam, and Ain, Rimmon, and Tochen, and Ashan, five cities: 33And all their villages that were round about the same cities, unto Baal. These were their habitations, and their genealogy. 34And Meshobab, and Jamlech, and Joshah, the son of Amaziah, 35And Joel, and Jehu the son of Josibiah, the son of Seraiah, the son of Asiel, 36And Elioenai, and Jaakobah, and Jeshohaiah, and Asaiah, and Adiel, and Jesimiel, and Benaiah, 37And Ziza the son of Shiphi, the son of Allon, the son of Jedaiah, the son of Shimri, the son of Shemaiah; 38These mentioned by their names were princes in their families: and the house of their fathers increased greatly. 39And they went to the entrance of Gedor, even unto the east side of the valley, to seek pasture for their flocks. 40And they found fat pasture and good, and the land was wide, and quiet, and peaceable; for they of Ham had dwelt there of old. 41And these written by name came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and smote their tents, and the habitations that were found there, and destroyed them utterly unto this day, and dwelt in their rooms: because there was pasture there for their flocks. 42And some of them, even of the sons of Simeon, five hundred men, went to mount Seir, having for their captains Pelatiah, and Neariah, and Rephaiah, and Uzziel, the sons of Ishi. 43And they smote the rest of the Amalekites that were escaped, and dwelt there unto this day.

Verses to carry from 1 Chronicles 4

“And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.”1 Chronicles 4:9

“And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.”1 Chronicles 4:10

“And these written by name came in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and smote their tents, and the habitations that were found there, and destroyed them utterly unto this day, and dwelt in their rooms: because there was pasture there for their flocks.”1 Chronicles 4:41

Reflection

Jabez did not let the sorrow of his beginning define his end; he brought it to God and asked for more. Whatever pain marks your own story, you are invited to call on God honestly, to ask for His hand upon you and His keeping from evil.

A prayer from 1 Chronicles 4